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15 year old (minor) cannot take last flight of day? (to merge)

15 year old (minor) cannot take last flight of day? (to merge)

Old Jul 26, 2016, 9:20 pm
  #31  
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Originally Posted by Thumper
OK, first person experience here. Well, my son, anyway.

We put him on a flight to summer camp as a15 year old, BDL to BWI.
They arrived around 8:30 on a Sunday night. At 9 the Airport Security called to advise my wife and I that my son was safe and with them, but when they go off shift at 10PM, thee are required by law to hand him over to DYFS, and he would have to be put into the system. Is there anyone we knew or could call. Nice kid, we would take him hone, but of course that would mean our jobs.

In the end he was picked up by the camp, but you cannot imagine the views we created in our minds about "being put into the DYFS system" and what it could take to get him out.

So one airport, one example, nothing more.
How did your son come to be in the possession of airport security? Did he miss a connection or something?
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Old Jul 27, 2016, 6:27 am
  #32  
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Originally Posted by chrisny2
How did your son come to be in the possession of airport security? Did he miss a connection or something?
It sounds like when the son arrived at BWI that his ride from the camp was not there yet.
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Old Jul 27, 2016, 10:08 am
  #33  
 
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I am a firm believer in Murphy's Law. If something can go wrong, it will go wrong.

It's one thing to parse the CoC and determine that your child is actually eligible to take the last flight of the day. However, that does you no good if the kid ends up somewhere and a gate agent or ticket agent refuses to board the kid based on their reading of the CoC.

As you and the kid are waiting for a supervisor to arrive, possibly agree to your interpretation then override the GA, the plane takes off and your kid is stranded.

If it were my kid, I'd just avoid booking the last flight of the day until he's older.
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Old Jul 27, 2016, 7:01 pm
  #34  
 
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My son arrived at BWI, picked up his luggage and was just sitting there alone. Initially the camp van missed him, he was a small 15 and security felt it was acting in the best interest of an unaccompanied minor.
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Old Jul 27, 2016, 7:36 pm
  #35  
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Originally Posted by QueenOfCoach
As you and the kid are waiting for a supervisor to arrive, possibly agree to your interpretation then override the GA, the plane takes off and your kid is stranded.
Well, wouldn't that be ironic!
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Old Jul 27, 2016, 7:41 pm
  #36  
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Originally Posted by Thumper
My son arrived at BWI, picked up his luggage and was just sitting there alone. Initially the camp van missed him, he was a small 15 and security felt it was acting in the best interest of an unaccompanied minor.
Got it - thanks for the explanation
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Old Jul 27, 2016, 7:45 pm
  #37  
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I don't think anyone (or at least the majority) were suggesting that this was an excessively -good- idea-- personally I certainly don't think so.

In any case, I'm now led to believe that it -is- the case that a 15 year old, can, in fact, travel solo and can utilize any flight during the day.

Again, NOT to suggest it's a good idea at all.
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Old Jul 28, 2016, 12:02 am
  #38  
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Granted, the following is DL's policy, not AA's, but it seems pretty clear they do not have the restrictions on 15 year old's who do not participate in the UNMR program --

https://pro.delta.com/content/agency...--service.html
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Old Jul 28, 2016, 12:34 am
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by arollins
Last flight of day are certainly no-no's for minor. One of the main reason for this is in case of irrops, delays or cancellation, where will the minor go if he has to spend the night at the airport. There is too much liability for the airline to assume.
^^^^
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Old Jul 28, 2016, 12:38 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by flyalways
I do not see it this way. It is clear that he is "unaccompanied minor" and it clearly states that he can not take that last flight. There are no two
interpretations.

If he wants to take that flight he must be a "accompanied" since he is a
"minor"...

I agree with that policy in this sue-happy country of ours !

F.A.
ABSOLUTELY. OP, Is it necessary that he is on the last flight (which obviously cannot happen and is like beating a dead horse.) *Not to be disrespectful and being genuine*
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Old Jul 28, 2016, 12:40 am
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Originally Posted by JonNYC
I don't think anyone (or at least the majority) were suggesting that this was an excessively -good- idea-- personally I certainly don't think so.

In any case, I'm now led to believe that it -is- the case that a 15 year old, can, in fact, travel solo and can utilize any flight during the day.

Again, NOT to suggest it's a good idea at all.
100%
Even if he was accustomed to flying and connecting, etc., how would he book a hotel in the event of a cancellation?
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Old Jul 28, 2016, 8:42 am
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by JMGPhila
100%
Even if he was accustomed to flying and connecting, etc., how would he book a hotel in the event of a cancellation?
Parents call and book a prepaid rate. It's not that complicated.

In any case, not that relevant to the OP's situation since they indicate there's friends in the area who would be able to help out if necessary.
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Old Jul 28, 2016, 11:12 am
  #43  
 
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Anyone read this post on the Air Canada forum? a minor was bumped from a flight.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...overnight.html
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Old Jul 28, 2016, 5:03 pm
  #44  
 
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Smile

Originally Posted by jordyn
Parents call and book a prepaid rate. It's not that complicated.

In any case, not that relevant to the OP's situation since they indicate there's friends in the area who would be able to help out if necessary.
I have never seen a hotel that doesn't require id and an 18 year old to check-in. Never before. Many places it is actually law. Under 18 cannot enter into a contract under law as well, which is signed at the hotel.
I suppose it would be the same as receiving an unaccompanied minor at the final destination, but policy is policy. And no business is stricter on policy than airlines (Especially AA.)
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Old Jul 28, 2016, 6:05 pm
  #45  
 
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Airport Security called to advise my wife and I that my son was safe and with them, but when they go off shift at 10PM, thee are required by law to hand him over to DYFS, and he would have to be put into the system.
Sounds like something that almost happened with out 15 year old step nephew years ago. He had a connection weather bust at DFW trying to catch up to his siblings on fall break in Florida with their bio dad.

He had made the varsity football team as a freshman lineman and was seeing significant game time. He wasn't just large for his age he was huge. He was catching up because it had been a good year and had missed driving with the family group because he had just been in the state 4A playoffs. Somebody from AA demanded his mother promptly produce a local relative. . .or they would do some undefined else with her little boy and got her all freaked out. She demanded her sister in law leave for the airport immediately, even though there was a severe thunderstorm warning and it wasn't really safe to drive.

Last edited by jayer; Jul 28, 2016 at 6:25 pm
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